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Glenn Beck launches online University

I believe Beck is just chasing the dollar. Recall that he recently released a fiction book he wrote and now this crap. Calling his crap "University" strikes me as very strange since he claims to consider himself only an entertainer. (Check that, I think he says he wants to entertain AND enlighten-bah!)

I hate the whole pitch about online classes. I had to take a class at my university in which it was only offered online. The whole online thing takes you out of the classroom where the give and take occurs. I knew many of the people in the online class and we would have preferred to actually go to class as you miss the interaction. I would widely encourage older adults to consider going back to real university if they are serious about having a learning experience.

Beck talks about the need to know history, but you need to start with understanding where history comes from. Who writes the books? What evidence do they use in making claims regarding what really happened? History is far from being an exact science but the key is not simply considering the evidence that supports your theory. It also requires critical thinking beyond simple memorization that occurs in high school. I sincerely hope that people reject this crap. I'm sure if few people sign up, they'll pull the plug. I even feel a little sorry for people who fall for this crap.
 
Ziggae_6 said:
I believe Beck is just chasing the dollar. Recall that he recently released a fiction book he wrote and now this crap. Calling his crap "University" strikes me as very strange since he claims to consider himself only an entertainer. (Check that, I think he says he wants to entertain AND enlighten-bah!)
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He called it that just to annoy people like you.

Ziggae_6 said:
I hate the whole pitch about online classes. I had to take a class at my university in which it was only offered online. The whole online thing takes you out of the classroom where the give and take occurs. I knew many of the people in the online class and we would have preferred to actually go to class as you miss the interaction. I would widely encourage older adults to consider going back to real university if they are serious about having a learning experience.
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You don't have to go to formal school to learn what is taught in formal school. One of the smartest people I know doesn't have a college degree. He just reads a lot and thinks a lot. Many of our greatest Americans were self-taught.
 
I Re: Glenn Beck launches online University

I just watched the first class.

Faith was the subject. I already knew most of it, but it was a nice refresher. He (David Barton) discussed the early preachers who influenced our Founders' beliefs including Rev. John Wise and Rev. George Whitfield among others. He mentioned how some sermons at that time were political. This rubbed me the wrong way, honestly. I'm fine with preachers discussing how we're all equal and free, but I don't like it when preachers talk about certain policies and how they should be passed, etc. I don't think my preacher should be preaching that the AZ law is good or bad, for example. It's not the job of a preacher to influence his congregation how to vote in political elections. It IS the job of a preacher to influence his congregation what to do about their spiritual life. Then allow the members to determine themselves what policies follow the will of God.

He spoke of how it wasn't just Paul Revere, but also Wentworth Cheswell (a black patriot) also warned the colonies of the British coming. Not sure what they had to do with faith...I kinda tuned out after that. I'm busy making sun tea and trying not to fall asleep.

Overall I give the class a C. I knew most of it so it was kinda boring, but it was interesting the first time I heard it. And David Barton talks way too fast.

Time for tea and maybe a nap. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
 
Re: I Re: Glenn Beck launches online University

Having the noted scholar* David Barton on his show is one way to build credibility for GBU.








*noted for falsifying quotes by the founding fathers in his books.
 
PubliusInfinitu said:
ROFLMNAO...

Oh they ARE a difficult thing to pin down, those progressives... They're not socialists, while simultaneous being socialists... and isn't it cool how only the Socialists 'do their own research'... which we can be sure does NOT include listening to Glenn Beck, but instead includes perusing the Liberal Echo-chamber of Alternet... The KOS and other such subversive elements of the communist insurgency.
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Just noticed that this thread is beginning to derail a bit. Wasn't the original topic something about the ivy covered walls of Glenn Beck's brain? :mrgreen:
 
Ziggae_6 said:
I believe Beck is just chasing the dollar. Recall that he recently released a fiction book he wrote and now this crap. Calling his crap "University" strikes me as very strange since he claims to consider himself only an entertainer. (Check that, I think he says he wants to entertain AND enlighten-bah!)

I hate the whole pitch about online classes. I had to take a class at my university in which it was only offered online. The whole online thing takes you out of the classroom where the give and take occurs. I knew many of the people in the online class and we would have preferred to actually go to class as you miss the interaction. I would widely encourage older adults to consider going back to real university if they are serious about having a learning experience.

Beck talks about the need to know history, but you need to start with understanding where history comes from. Who writes the books? What evidence do they use in making claims regarding what really happened? History is far from being an exact science but the key is not simply considering the evidence that supports your theory. It also requires critical thinking beyond simple memorization that occurs in high school. I sincerely hope that people reject this crap. I'm sure if few people sign up, they'll pull the plug. I even feel a little sorry for people who fall for this crap.
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Beck thinks history is important and he has uncovered many instances where Blacks and Women have been written out of history. No matter what the left thinks of Beck personally, aren't they at least a little curious about the reasons why these things happened?
From my understanding, these are Not online classes. These are lectures and are not given by Beck. They are free to Beck insiders.
It looks like he made the right choice by naming it Beck University. It has sure gotten a lot more media attention than if it would have been advertised as free insider lectures on history.
It's so entertaining to see the left getting their panties in a wad over absolutely nothing.
 
Barbbtx said:
Beck thinks history is important and he has uncovered many instances where Blacks and Women have been written out of history. No matter what the left thinks of Beck personally, aren't they at least a little curious about the reasons why these things happened?
From my understanding, these are Not online classes. These are lectures and are not given by Beck. They are free to Beck insiders.
It looks like he made the right choice by naming it Beck University. It has sure gotten a lot more media attention than if it would have been advertised as free insider lectures on history.
It's so entertaining to see the left getting their panties in a wad over absolutely nothing.
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nothing is absolutely right.
 
Mellie said:
He called it that just to annoy people like you.



You don't have to go to formal school to learn what is taught in formal school. One of the smartest people I know doesn't have a college degree. He just reads a lot and thinks a lot. Many of our greatest Americans were self-taught.
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You can go to formal school and still get bored with lectures and bad classes. The better classrooms involve give and take and people discussing the issues. That includes anything from reading groups, adult classes, even informal groups that just meet just to talk. I am not saying school is the only way to learn. Its just that regular classes can be a better experience than online lectures in my opinion. Why give the money to fakey/questionable U when you could actually go a real university and get the experience of interacting with others. Some people are intimidated to do it as adults but I can verify that the older student experience can be quite good.
 
Barbbtx said:
Beck thinks history is important and he has uncovered many instances where Blacks and Women have been written out of history. No matter what the left thinks of Beck personally, aren't they at least a little curious about the reasons why these things happened?
From my understanding, these are Not online classes. These are lectures and are not given by Beck. They are free to Beck insiders.
It looks like he made the right choice by naming it Beck University. It has sure gotten a lot more media attention than if it would have been advertised as free insider lectures on history.
It's so entertaining to see the left getting their panties in a wad over absolutely nothing.
Click to expand...

I'm not upset with it. Its just that I am an advocate for people to get a quality education. I guess you can try to get a good education as well as being entertained if that's your goal. I just wish people would give real classes a chance--especially older adults.

People are "written out" of history for many reasons. They include blacks and women at one point not considered to have souls or be as equal as whites. Or the historian may not think their actions were important. Or documentation does not exist from an era that can verify that the action occurred. No matter what, history will always be lost or subject to debate.
 
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Ziggae_6 said:
I'm not upset with it. Its just that I am an advocate for people to get a quality education. I guess you can try to get a good education as well as being entertained if that's your goal. I just wish people would give real classes a chance--especially older adults.

People are "written out" of history for many reasons. They include blacks and women at one point not considered to have souls or be as equal as whites. Or the historian may not think their actions were important. Or documentation does not exist from an era that can verify that the action occurred. No matter what, history will always be lost or subject to debate.
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Actually, my problem with Beck's lecture was his rewriting of Thomas Jefferson as someone who encouraged the church to have influence over the state. Jefferson's writings themselves say something completely different, and this makes Beck a liar.

Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814
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History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.

-Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, Dec. 6, 1813.
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Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination.

-Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, in reference to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom
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There are many more quotes from Jefferson, at the link I provided, which prove that, contrary to Beck's grossly inflated opinion of himself, he is neither an historian, nor even a history hack. But don't take my word for it. Read Jefferson himself at the link I gave.
 
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So, I am curious Mellie said the first lecture she listened to was on faith. Now is this just like one of many lectures or was it the only one?
 
soccerboy22 said:
So, I am curious Mellie said the first lecture she listened to was on faith. Now is this just like one of many lectures or was it the only one?
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I think there's one every week. I could be wrong, though.
 
By Beck calling his little endeavor a university is a prostitution of the word university. A university is a collection of colleges that offer several different degree programs that are held to standards. A business school like a medical school like an art school are held to standards. I seriously doubt Beck U is held to any standards other than Beck's pocket book.
 
winston53660 said:
By Beck calling his little endeavor a university is a prostitution of the word university. A university is a collection of colleges that offer several different degree programs that are held to standards. A business school like a medical school like an art school are held to standards. I seriously doubt Beck U is held to any standards other than Beck's pocket book.
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I agree that is why I asked if there were multiple lectures and Mellie just viewed one or if their was only one. Plus faith as the first lecture seems kind of funny. I mean that to me is more like a philosophy class rather than just one lecture.
 
winston53660 said:
By Beck calling his little endeavor a university is a prostitution of the word university. A university is a collection of colleges that offer several different degree programs that are held to standards. A business school like a medical school like an art school are held to standards. I seriously doubt Beck U is held to any standards other than Beck's pocket book.
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Again, he called it that just to annoy people like you. :)
 
soccerboy22 said:
I agree that is why I asked if there were multiple lectures and Mellie just viewed one or if their was only one. Plus faith as the first lecture seems kind of funny. I mean that to me is more like a philosophy class rather than just one lecture.
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It's going to be a collection of "classes". The first one was posted Wednesday.
 
Mellie said:
Again, he called it that just to annoy people like you. :)
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It doesn't annoy me I believe in free speech even though it is intended to be misleading.
 
Mellie said:
But you haven't even seen the class....
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I was not talking about the class. I was talking about the term "Beck University". Go back and read a little bit in the thread.
 
winston53660 said:
I was not talking about the class. I was talking about the term "Beck University". Go back and read a little bit in the thread.
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Oh right. Sorry. The TITLE is misleading.

Not really if you know Beck's humor. ;)
 
winston53660 said:
I was not talking about the class. I was talking about the term "Beck University". Go back and read a little bit in the thread.
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While I agree with out that the word university doesn't really seem to fit here, what do you think the correct word would be. I thought college might be the best word since there are other online colleges as well.
 
soccerboy22 said:
While I agree with out that the word university doesn't really seem to fit here, what do you think the correct word would be. I thought college might be the best word since there are other online colleges as well.
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It's not a REAL college, soccer. There are no credits given.
 
winston53660 said:
Then why take him seriously?
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Because I understand what he calls "the fusion of entertainment and enlightenment". Just because he's VERY sarcastic and uses hyperbole for humor, doesn't mean he's just a funny man. He uses BOTH humor and facts. You see?
 
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